Any lingering expectations of Emeritus, which Scarface says will be his final solo album, being some kind of perfect masterpiece are immediately deflated by the intro track, which features 4 minutes of Rap-A-Lot Records founder J Prince talking shit about random people in Houston who have prosecuted or persecuted him recently. He mentions people by name, describes how they have pumpkin heads, and about 2 minutes in, he drawls “nowwww I’m almost through,” and then goes on for 2 more minutes. J Prince always did great intros and interludes, and all this ridiculous inside baseball is actually pretty entertaining, but it's still kind of crazy that Scarface would dedicated almost 10% of his supposed last album to that kind of shit.

Of course, it doesn't really matter that Emeritus isn't perfect, because it's really good, probably better than last year's Made, and in all likelihood won't be the last batch of music we hear from Face, considering the absurd amount of Scarface-related compilations and group albums that have trickled out in the past few years. Nottz and Scram Jones and N.O. Joe set up the exact kind of low key heat that he sounds best on, and he goes ahead and rants about sex and politics and rap history and everything else on his mind for 12 songs, with occasional mostly welcome interruptions from Wacko and Bun B and Slim Thug. If this is the end, it's a fitting one, but if it ain't, that would be better.

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